Finnish professor appointed to CERN management

Between 2010 and 2012, the management of the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN) will include a Finn for the first time, Professor Dan-Olof Riska.

For Riska, the new vice chairperson of the CERN administrative council, the appointment means even more frequent visits to the headquarters of CERN in Geneva.

“For a small member country like Finland, CERN provides opportunities for high-quality, internationally competitive teamwork and training,” Riska points out.

The Large Hadron Collider, launched in November, set a new energy record for particle showers in a few weeks. In mid-February, the LHC will be re-launched for actual research work after the winter stoppage.

“We can except new research results at the end of the year. The collider is a prototype, which means that its operations constitute a large technical challenge,” says Riska.

CERN has 20 member countries. Moreover, six countries have applied for membership. The administrative council's chairpeople, along with the operative management, are in charge of CERN's external relations.

“CERN and the EU just signed an agreement according to which they take care of the research strategy in the sector of elementary particle physics in Europe. Other important CERN relationships concern major industrial countries involved in CERN's operations, such as the United States, India, Japan and China.”

Riska holds a doctoral degree in technology. At the beginning of his career, he started as a researcher in theoretical physics, and has worked as a professor in physics at Michigan State University and the University of Helsinki, among other places. Riska's main duty is to direct the Helsinki Institute of Physics, which takes care of the cooperation between Finland and CERN.

Over 10,000 researchers from around the globe participate in the research work at CERN. CERN investigates the basic structure of matter, that is, elementary particles and their interaction.